Non-bank crediting has become popular in Latvia as well as in other European countries due to various economic and social factors. Since the banks in recent years have introduced much stricter lending conditions, non-bank crediting sector has experienced a significant increase not only in Latvia but also in other European and world countries. Non-bank crediting market actively began to develop through a wide promotion of consumer credits in the major mass media; thus, creating human interest in the availability of fast and easy processable credits. Non-bank credit companies without customer deposits have transformed the present credit market, since a number of new players entered the market testing new business and crediting models and providing solutions to credit-challenged customers. The research aim is to study the non-bank consumer crediting trends in Latvia and it employs a monographic descriptive method as well as the methods of analysis and synthesis and graphics. The research results demonstrate that the popularity of non-bank credits is still growing among consumers, since the total amounts of non-bank credits disbursed for the first time have increased by EUR 116.61 million or 33.18% for the period 2012-2015 with distance credits being the most demanded credit type accounting for approximately 40% of all non-bank credits. Non-bank credit market is saturated and there is a fierce competition between non-bank crediting companies in terms of interest rates, crediting conditions and other factors.

Private forestry and forest owners in Estonia have become more profound research subjects in the last decade. One of the most common research topics has been the identification of private forest owners’ (PFO) values and objectives. However, much of the existing studies rely on quantitative data which usually describes more active owners and owners whose forest property is larger than the average. Thus, the aim of the present study is to identify the management objectives and motives of non-industrial private forest owners using a qualitative approach – something that has been rarely used in forest owners’ research in Estonia. Eight forest owner interviews form the dataset, which is analysed in order to identify PFO forestry objectives and forest use. The results of our qualitative content analysis show, in principle, similar generalized forest owner types of motivations. However, the qualitative approach opens up these generalized types even more. Income motive goes beyond just continuous financial returns and means in many cases a sense of security. Forest ownership is closely linked with “home” interpretations. We conclude that qualitative methods in small-scale forestry research provide new insights to forest ownership and its meanings to private forest owners.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of drainage on soil carbon stock in a transitional mire drained for forestry. The study site is located in the central part of Latvia representing hemiboreal vegetation zone. Site was drained in 1960. It is located in a catchment area of the river Veseta. An undrained site at the same catchment area was chosen for control (ca. 2.5 km between sites). In both sites, the depth of peat is 4 – 4.5 m. Drained site is dominated by coniferous trees. Soil samples collected in 2014 were used to determine bulk density and carbon content, and to calculate soil carbon stock. Samples were collected down to 80 cm depth. Ground surface elevation was measured before and several times after the drainage to determine peat subsidence. Carbon stock has increased by 0.3 tons haE-1 yr**1 after drainage, although peat has subsided on average by 26 cm (13 – 48 cm). Subsidence was mainly caused by physical shrinkage of peat not by organic matter oxidation. Drainage was followed by compaction of aerated soil layer, which has caused most of the subsidence, especially during the first years after drainage. Soil bulk density has increased almost twice at soil surface layer 0 – 10 cm (from 75 kg m**3 to 141 kg m**3). Differences decrease at deeper sampling depths. It is concluded that drainage is not always followed by reduction of carbon stock in soil. Increased above and below ground litter production rates may offset accelerated decomposition of organic matter after drainage.

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) is amongst the most important tree species for forestry in Latvia. It has been suggested that due to the foreseen climate change the productivity of Norway spruce in Latvia may decrease. Continuous observations of radial increment allow to identify periods with different growth intensity and to study the effect of environmental conditions on radial increment during them. The aim of this study was to analyse stem radial variation of Norway spruce in mixed-species stand in response to meteorological conditions over one growing season. Stem radial variation of one Norway spruce tree was monitored by band dendrometer throughout the growing season of 2013. Cumulative radial increment was divided into contraction, recovery and increment phases by the stem cycle approach. Four periods with distinct apportionment of these phases were identified – winter/spring dormancy, spring/ summer growth, growth termination and autumn hydration fluctuations. Radial increment began in the second part of May and the most active increment was observed during period of spring/summer growth. This period lasted for 42 days with the mean amplitude of stem radial variations reaching 0.06 mm while the length of increment phase reached up to two days. Throughout the growing season increment was facilitated by an increase in the temperature. Meanwhile, the effect of precipitation was insignificant, presumably due to sufficient water availability and low interspecies competition for it, characteristic in mixed species stands due to differences in depth and distribution of root systems between the species.

Tracked forwarders is one of the solutions for the forest soils with poor bearing capacity providing ability to use well-known technology for reasonable cost to improve accessibility of forest resources. Tracked forwarders are not common in forest nowadays and only a few models are produced serially. The ProSilva F2/2 is a new middle-class forwarder, whose frontal tracks are replaced with big tires, ensuring large contact surface, increased mobility of the machine and significantly reduced mass without loosing the load capacity (15 tonnes). The aim of the study was to evaluate productivity, soil impact and cost of the roundwood forwarding using the ProSilva F2/2. The study was conducted in Finland. Productivity (time per crane cycle, split into operations and loads), load size, depth of ruts and soil compaction were estimated during the study. According to the study results, the average productivity is 16 m**3 per hour (driving distance to a landing site 200 m, driving speed 2.8 km hE-1, average load 9.7 m**3). The productivity can be significantly increased by more efficient utilization of the load capacity and by using gripper with the tilt function. The length of ruts on peat soil (56 m haE-1) does not exceed the permitted threshold values in Latvia. The compaction of soil took place mainly in topsoil, no changes in soil density were observed in deeper soil layers. The prime cost of forwarding according to the preliminary estimates is 2.5 € mE-3 if the annual production is at least 62000 m**3. Utilization rate is important to keep forwarding cost low.

The aim of the study was to compare the productivity and logging costs using the small class harvester Vimek 404 T5 in thinning of birch plantations and young coniferous stands. It was found in the study that due to a lower fuel consumption, maintenance costs and initial investment, the cost of a working hour of the harvester Vimek 404 T5 is significantly smaller than the cost of a working hour of the middle class harvester. The study confirmed that Vimek 404 T5 is a suitable harvester for thinning in a birch plantation; the study also confirmed the previous conclusions about the main advantages of Vimek harvester compared to a middle class harvester in the first thinning – low fuel consumption and costs of maintenance, high productivity and equipment compactness, which allow to reduce the strip road area. The average productivity for Vimek 404 T5 in birch plantation was 6.2 m**3 per productive hour, but in young conifer stand the productivity was 4.9 m**3 per productive hour. The average stem volume in the birch plantation was 0.06 m**3, but in conifer stand 0.05 m**3. Productivity for the same dimension trees in the birch plantation is not significantly different from the data obtained in the thinning of the coniferous stands.

The homogeneous and light wood of birch is suitable for different types of treatment processes and is highly valued for products where visual aspect is important, however, birch assortments are highly susceptible to damages caused by fungi during the storage. Such fungal damages cause discoloration of birch roundwood intended for further woodworking. Sapwood discoloration development and its influencing factors for birch roundwood were analyzed in the summer - autumn period of the year 2016 (August, September and October). Control cut for assessment of sapwood discoloration development was made in four birch roundwood stacks in the districts of Auce and Daugavpils. In order to evaluate the influence of harvesting type, side surface damages, placement in pile, storage duration, diameter, distance from the end plane, daily average temperatures, precipitation amount and relative humidity on development of sapwood discoloration, 616 discs from birch log end planes were prepared. After conducting multiple factor linear regression, it was concluded that a significant development of discoloration and its changes for birch roundwood are promoted by harvesting type, placement in pile, distance from the end plane, daily average temperatures and relative humidity (R2 = 0.450). For birch logs that are prepared by harvester with the daily average air temperature + 6 °C, the first signs of discoloration appear after 17 – 18 days, but on all logs stacked in pile they appear after 68 – 69 days. Whereas, with the daily average temperature of + 18 °C, the first signs of discoloration can occur after only six days, but on all logs stacked in pile they appear after 23 days.

The aim of this study is to improve the practice of mechanical forest site preparation (FSP) by identifying typical characteristics of FSP, including the direction of FSP machinery, manoeuvre count depending on configuration of parcel and forest type and width of manoeuvre track; to evaluate the productivity depending on different forest growing conditions; to create schemes of technological corridors for commercial thinning; to improve scheme of FSP according to the scheme of technical corridors for commercial thinning and to evaluate changes in the count of manoeuvres and total distance travelled. In this study, we have developed methods to evaluate the quality of FSP. Methods used in this study include GIS analysis of vector data from FSP machinery tracking devices and LiDAR (Light detecting and ranging) data analysis for terrain information. Study shows that there is a significant difference in productivity when the machinery of FSP is driving in different angles to the longitudinal axis of parcel. Reduced productivity is justified by prioritizing topography of the forest floor. Slope is a decisive factor in the ground water movement and should be considered in FSP planning. Study shows that the developed method could be implemented in practice of forest management in 41% of sampled forest stands.

In this study, a conceptual rainfall-runoff METQ model, version METQ2007BDOPT, to simulate daily runoff was applied. The model structure and parameters were fundamentally the same as in the METQ98 model with some additional improvement and semi-automatical calibration performance. The model has proved to be successful for both small (the Vienziemite Brook, 5.92 km2 ) and large (the Daugava River, 81 000 km2 ) drainage basins. The model METQ2007BDOPT was calibrated to the six different size river basins (the Pērse, the Malta, the Neriņa, the Imula, the Malmuta and the Iecava). These pilot river basins are characterised by one or two prevailing natural conditions such as hilly agricultural lands, agricultural lowlands, sandy lowlands, forested areas, swamps or lakes. The results of calibration showed good coincidence between the measured and simulated daily discharges. The Nash – Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient NSE varies from 0.52 to 0.78 and Pearson correlation coefficient r from 0.65 to 0.88 for the six river basins with calibration and validation period from 1956 to 2015. In this study, we found some relationships between the model parameter values and physiographic sub-catchment characteristics.

A pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland was installed at the farm Mezaciruli, Zalenieki County, Jelgava region, in the middle part of Latvia, in August 2014 to improve stormwater quality collected from the farmyard and demonstrate applicability of constructed wetland as a convenient treatment option for contaminated surface runoff. The examined water treatment system consists of a sedimentation pond as a pretreatment plant, a water pump, a water distribution well, and a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland with the surface area of 160 m2 . During the observation period of 27 months (2014 – 2016) water quality parameters such as total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate nitrogen (NO3 -N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4 -N), total nitrogen (TN), orthophosphate phosphorus (PO4 -P), and total phosphorus (TP) were monitored and nutrient removal efficiency of the system was examined. Water samples collected at the inlet and outlet were compared. Monitoring results obtained during this study show that on average concentrations of TN and TP were reduced by 22% and 80%, respectively. However, nitrate - nitrogen concentrations on average increased by 10%, as during the time period from June, 2015 to March, 2016 reduction in NO3 -N concentrations was not observed.